An Amulet for your Money. A disk of two inches featuring a five point star framed with wood and vines. Each field colored with enamel and paint representing the elements: Red for Fire, Blue for Water, Yellow for Air, Black for Earth, White for Spirit. Enameled and painted. Using the classic solid spring clip for easy use. The Piece is solid and sturdy. Available in Sterling Silver, Nickle and Bronze.

The Ace of the Tarot Card represent the “source” of a given element. In the case of the Ace of Pentacles: the material world. Pictured in the classic Tarot card as the point where all elements may be seeded; surrounded by a sacred space: a garden of possibilities. Like the Card, the clip also hold the potential of all good things: space, elements and star. The Ace of Pentacles reminds us: if we focus on the positive, we plant the seeds of good fortune.

Grandpa used to say: “Son, if your want to double your money, just fold it in half and stick it in your pocket!” Here is your chance to do just that: next time you want to double your money, use this clip to secure it and keep those bills safely in your pocket or purse.

The Ace of Pentacles Money Clip is an Amulets by Merlin creation; designed, developed and crafted by Kirk McLaren of Amulets by Merlin. If you wish modifications, contact him and the piece may be made custom to fit your vision.

Shortly after I founded Amulets by Merlin in the 1980s, I was commissioned with a project: to develop a piece combining the two basic images used in the Sun and Star cards of Aleister Crowley’s Thoth Tarot Deck. In the Sun card the main focus is the Sunflower: a common symbol harnessed in many other Tarot Decks, but this one was special: twelve segments, each divided into two aspects. This represents the houses of the Zodiac divided into their active and passive principals. In Crowley’s deck he also used the seven pointed star to symbolize the the Star Card: associated with Tazaddi (a Hebrew letter) often considered in Qabalah as “the fish Hook”, meaning the process of meditation is akin to lowering a “mental fish hook” plunged into the depths of the Great Unconsciousness (Akesha).

Combining the aspects of these two ideas produces the simultaneous process of seeing all of creation in all of it’s glory and yet being “passive” enough to understand it’s subtleties.

The dear Lady suggested I place this in my line of jewelry so the virtues of the piece may spread to others. This I have done and so I present to you one of my first commissions and amulets in my line:The Sunflower Amulet

Many approach a Tarot reading
with a question about money or love,
usually they want to know what will happen in the future.

Tarot Casters

If you want to get a snapshot of your psychic health
or an over view of options you have in a difficult situation:
the Tarot is a powerful tool
and you may get more than you bargained for.

The process for reading a standard 2D Tarot deck is deceptively simple:
first one shuffles a deck of the 78 Tarot cards
and selects a few and place them in a pattern on a flat surface.
The pattern has several pre-assigned positions,
each a designated concept:
“this is your present” –
“this is your past” –
“these are the powers that you have control over”,
and so on.
The reader examines the combination of position and meaning of each card
akin to an algebraic equation
estimates an interpretation.
This formula is a launching pad for one’s intuition,
a starting point:
one meditates on a combination of concepts
and “reads the Querent” for resonance.

This works for a combination of reasons.
First, the Tarot is a pictorial representation of 78 aspects of one’s being.
Each of the Major Arcana (the first 22) represents of life’s architectural bardos:
lore developed from centuries of experience from a variety of cultures.
The remaining cards (the Minor Arcana)
represent situations that every one experiences
and the lessons associated with them.

Because we are addressing imagery rather than text,
the interpretation of these images may be broad.
The reader uses knowledge and experience to open channels of intuition.
The Tarot offers door ways to one’s self
with a planet full of lore to back it up.

One of the reasons I created the Tarot Amulets
was to apply the concepts of the Tarot as talismanic in use,
the other reason was to develop the Tarot Casters.

Typically a two dimensional deck
(cards)
is limited to how a card would be placed in a reading:
up or down, perhaps across.
Tossing a deck to get a random throw can be messy
and consumes a lot of space and is only used as a parlor trick
– for the most part.

The term Tarot Casters was inspired by the Star Card:

The Star

the Hebrew letter associated with it is Tzaddi: the “Fish Hook”.
Meditation (according to the Tarot perspective)
is like a fish hook dropped into the waters of the unconscious
to see what may be found.
In the creation of these pieces I discovered the process
was more like casting a net to discover what lies under the surface
of mundane thought.

I did not translate then entire deck:
only the 22 pieces of the Major Arcana:
the core concepts of the Tarot or <em>The Fool’s Journey. </em>

The Casters produce a random pattern when dropped.
The pattern is first considered by the querent as a rorschach blot,
open for interpretation.
Should the querent describe the scattered pieces as a bird,
then the components of the reading (the casters themselves)
are perceived like the anatomy of a body.
For example: the head of the bird is the High Priestess
which in turn points towards the body;
therefore the mind of the querent is at its best position
to receive information from dreams and other subconscious input;
memories and other feminine powers.
This flow will color every piece down the “neck”
and into the body.
As before this provides the reader a springboard for meditation;
as you can see once the pieces are no longer in predetermined positions,
it forces the reader to step directly into an intuitive state of mind.

It has been described as “Reading without a net” by some readers;
others found it “liberating”,
no longer constricted by simple pre-described patterns;
they have discovered the system actually strengthens their pre-cognizance,
heightening their ability to flex intuitive muscles
and able to see more of their “inner workings” through random patterns.
A client who purchased the set
found after some months of reading that he was able to see
the random patterns in clouds and the movement of trees,
triggering leaps of intuition.
He credited the experiences to his use of the Tarot Casters.

The Tarot Caster System is a step forward
bringing the human touch back into the Mysteries.
I invite you to discover a step forward into the use of Oracles
by experiencing the Tarot Casters through a reading or by acquiring your own set
I still make each set one at a time as they are ordered;
accompanied by a hand made bag used as a reading cloth.
Developed in 1992 after 13 years of study and meditation.

It was in 1986 when I requested Russ McClay to create the cards
to accompany the Tarot Amulets.
I wrote a series of verse to describe the individual Tarot Amulets.
After already investing nearly ten years of study in the Tarot
it was time to move forward with the project.

Prose Cardofthe High Priestess Amulet

I had Met Russ four years earlier at Corona Trucking.
After two years of grueling work
we found jobs where we worked for subcontractors at the post office;
our duties did not take every waking minute as it did with Corona.
Each day we met for lunch breaks and spoke of our interests in philosophy,
religion and the state of current affairs.

Tarot Prose CardThe Empress

At that time Russ McClay was well known for his Calligraphy:
his work was prominently displayed in signage in the Newport and Huntington Beach area
of Orange County as well as framed works of art
distributed in the better known shops of the Southland.
In a time before desktop publishing,
his handwork out-shown the shaky fingers of his contemporaries
and was the envy of those of us who wanted good calligraphic art.

With my offer of the sound montage: “Something Happening”,
he agreed to create the cards.
It was a monumental task that took months of pen to paper,
running down to the photocopier to reduce them down to the right size;
creating layouts and a host of other steps.
I frustrated him with my revisions and “improvements” as he,
with great patience and endurance of my foibles
produced what I consider to be
some of the finest Calligraphy I have ever seen.

I still have the original printing of these cards
and include them with the purchase of The Tarot Amulets.

Merlin’s prose and McClay’s flowing penmanship.

The Tarot Amulets may be used as a Talisman
or it may be used as a part of a Three dimensional Tarot DeckThe Tarot Casters
created and developed
by Kirk McLaren
of Amulets by Merlin

Each of the Major Arcana is complex
simple definitions alludes to a shallow view of them.
In truth, each card represents concepts best described in stories.
For example,
the Lovers Card
is often illustrated by the story of Perseus and Andromeda
(the more recent movie “Clash of the Titans”
actually changes the ancient story with a very different outcome).
Each step of the story is a description of the alchemical formula
to Unite the Self: the Sacred Marriage of One’s Being.
Knowing that One could argue each card is a mix of various “tones”,
each describing an aspect of the self in detail.
However, to describe the Resonances,
let us consider each of the Major Arcana as a Unique Tone unto itself.

In the Second Resonance,
the three tones are The High Priestess, The Hermit and The Tower.
These three tones form a Resonance or chord of concepts.
When playedtogether,
they describe a mode of being.
In this case the High Priestess
helps us recall our personal experience as well as the lore
(history)
of both people and our planet.
This Knowledge base is harnessed by The Hermit
(Consciousness set into Action: the Hand of God).
Note: The Hermit acts independently from the crowd, influence from movements,
culture and other Human perspectives do not recruit him;
thus the Hermit is “independent” in his actions.
Finally: the third tone is The Tower.
Action inspires re-action and brings Realization:consequences.
This pulls together everything before it and provides
a better perspective of the world One lives in.
It implies such lessons like “don’t build huge structures on sand”
which applies to metaphorical scenarios
and physical situations.
It also demonstrates what happens when you build a structure on a bedrock of lies;
hence the card’s relation to Peh
(the Hebrew letter related to “the mouth”).

When viewed together,
this and the other Resonances or Chords
teach us valuable lessons about how to live,
it weeds out unnecessary, unwanted and self destructive patterns.
When viewed this way it is the Foundation of Ethics:How One Lives.
In the Second Resonance,
we learn the importance of making Truth a way of life,
how telling and living lies will undermine everything you do,
turn others against you and pull the material world over your head.Resonance offers a solution to the problem and provides a Way of Being
which will avoid such problems,
offering growth and development.
Knowing the History and Lore (the High Priestess)
gives you a guideline of what others have done and the consequences which follow.
Walking the Path of these lessons places you on a narrow,
yet extremity long and full-fulling journey of life.
Nothing is without it’s pitfalls,
thus The Tower continually reminds One of short sightedness
and destroys preconceptions that are erroneous,
providing us with a new start to re-build a stronger perspective,
closer to the Truth.
This resonance holds all three together into one triad,
each supporting the other.

When studying the series,
it is best to take them in sequence: One’s Self being the Fool in this journey of life,
taking them one at a time we master lessons and benefit from them.
Once One understands the concepts and set them into motion in life,
we discover they are being presented all at once or in clusters
and to Come Correct is as natural step forward.

I encourage you to set the cards in the Grand Spread
and review each of the Seven Resonances
see how each of these Card Combinations revel The Truth.

As many of you know,
I make these as Amulets
worn singularly or in combinations.

This is the Seventh of a series of articles examining the Major Arcana
using the Grand Spread
(three groups of seven, the Fool being separate)
to better understand and harness ourselves,
our talent, intelligence, experience and gifts.

The Grand Spread When viewed together they teach us valuable lessons about how to live the Foundation of Ethics

The Chariot
From the single point of consciousness of The Magician(the ability to focus on the Now)
to The High Priestess(the depth of Memory);
to The Empress(visualize the future)
to The Emperor(logic and perception, activation)
to The Heirophant:(Intuition, the Inner Authority)
to The Lovers:
The Dynamic Balance between the Aspects of Being
manifests The Chariot:
the containment of all of these things;
the Sacred Circle that is everywhere at once.
This defines what Is so one may harness it,
grow with it.
This represents the Discipline needed to undertake anything of value.

TemperanceSagittarius

In the Second Group underneath The Lovers we find

Temperance
This is the Art of Life itself.
Here we combine portions of Being into something new:
aspects that appear opposite to each other combining into objects,
music, thoughts and feelings the very way we live our lives.

The UniverseSaturn

In the Third Group under Temperance is

The Universe
All at once both the finite and infinite:
the limits of what we know and then some.
It is the Great Dance of All Things of which we are all a part.
This is the sum total of all the cards brought to realization so that which we “know”
is always expanding.

The first level reveals the position (The Chariot)
for the personal,
the second position (Temperance)
reveals the environment in which we work
and the third position (the Universe)
demonstrates how we may apply what we have learned.

It is in this Final Resonance.
In The Chariot we define our purpose,
in Temperance we Manifest the Vision,
in the Universe we Connect with All Things.
The Three Keys together create the Great Work of our lives.
Once going through a deep understanding of each of the Resonances,
the Seventh becomes a natural step on one’s life.
This resonance holds all three together into one triad,
each supporting the other.
Place these three cards together and observe the delicate balance produced.
Set these cards on your alter,
use them as meditations,
place them in your pocket or wear the combination as amulets.

This is the Sixth of a series of articles examining the Major Arcana
using the Grand Spread
(three groups of seven, the Fool being separate)
to better understand and harness ourselves,
our talent, intelligence, experience and gifts.

The Grand Spread When viewed together they teach us valuable lessons about how to live the Foundation of Ethics

The Lovers
From the single point of consciousness ofThe Magician(the ability to focus on the Now)
to The High Priestess(the depth of Memory);
to the Empress(visualize the future)
to the Emperor(logic and perception, activation)
to the Heirophant:(Intuition, the Inner Authority)
manifests the Lovers:
The Dynamic Balance between the conscious, sub-conscious and super-conscious.
The active point of focus relying on the sub- to act as both a conduit for the super-;
and as a medium to explore possibilities, equipped with the imagination.

In the Second Group underneath the Lovers we find

DeathScorpio

Death.
This is the point of transition.
Death brings a finality to things and provides the beginning of something else.
Death implies re-birth,
but it also brings an end to unnecessary or unwanted patterns.
Death is both grievous and transcendent,
inspiring new ways of perception and activity.

In the Third Group under Death is

Judgement ~Baptismal Fire~

JudgmentBaptismal Fire.
This card is the Philosophers Stone:
transforming Lead (as we Are) into Gold (what we Will Be).
Heating the facets of our being:
physical, emotional, mental and spiritual,
pushing the envelope with effort and stress,
building endurance.
Then combining into One Being.

The first level reveals the position (The Lovers) for the personal,
the second position (Death) reveals the environment in which we work
and the third position (Judgment)
demonstrates how we may apply what we have learned.

Knowing what One is,
the possibilities of what May One Become is Revealed
requiring the rooting out and discarding of unwanted habits,
environment, relation ships (etc.)
become apparent and the uncomfortable but necessary process
of cleaning and disposing of these unhealthy influences and activities commences.
Then the Burning away the final unwanted wood
provides an amalgamation of the Self into a New Being.
This resonance holds all three together into one triad,
each supporting the other.
Place these three cards together and observe the delicate balance produced.
Set these cards on your alter,
use them as meditations, place them in your pocket or wear the combination as amulets.